Introduction to Fulcrum
Welcome to Fulcrum, a role-playing game experience meant to fully combine the ideas of a series previously simple called Text-Based. The design of Fulcrum is to create a single series that will mix the normal ATB freeplay experience and the more tailored and railroaded TB Legends. It is a lovechild that will be perhaps the final envisioning of what Text-Based was supposed to be, at least what it was originally going to be before it was infected by idea-creep. Why does this exist? To make the bottom line clear, all the archives of TB history were deleted due to me being an irresponsible and unstable person through and through. Recreating the same world that didn't have a point, didn't even have continent names after easily half a decade, didn't have a coherent storyline, too many plotpoints and characters forgotten, too many ideas and imaginations added without being properly thought through or implented correctly, plagued with a sense of hopeless searching for purpose for no reward, it was a long-term project that desperately needs an entire revamp and not the kind of the previous one. The type of revamp that does away with the base game and history that I've refused to throw away, characters I didn't want to be rid of when I should have, locations I was too proud of as a creator that I couldn't bear leaving them alone. Fulcrum exists to finally rip from the decaying corpse that had become Text-Based. Completely focused on being designed to solve the issues of the game and taking time to fully flesh out idea, making sure there is actually a point in them being added besides: "Oh wow, cannibal holy knights would be cool idk.". These types of more outlandish concepts will of course still be in Fulcrum as it was TB since that is where the entire concepts originates, a role-playing world not tainted by cliche and bland motivations. It is just that no idea will be added on whims or for ideas of the time but to build upon what is there or create foundations for future additions to the world. How do you play? The exact same system will be in place as TB however with more focus on what the hell is going on and making sure the player 100% aware of everything their own in game avatar is aware of. Time will still be factor to make sure that stress of making quick thinking choices is ever present when in times of action. The series itself is broken down into seperate 'games' and stories, each even having their own parts or arcs to it. Players will experience each one at a time, completion of one moving onto the next in order. Basic Introduction to the World The World of Fulcrum is one of immense size yet not infinite like Terra from TB. The name of this World is Sanis and the entire series in the forseeable future will be based only here (Meaning no Space addition). Sanis was once a world with only three entities known only to those living today as the Souless, the beings with no origin and whatever coming before them even more mysterious. Each of them brought life and meaning to the practically empty and worthless rock that was Sanis. The two strongest Aureval and Daelis wish to bring light to this lifeless canvas. Aureval paints the skies and uses their own being to bring the Star Lumire into existence, from this the first 'life' and creatures made entirely of the soul is created; Angels. Creatures emboding the ideals of Aureval and their piercing light that now engulfed the sky and brightened up the surface of Sanis. Daelis in contrast to their rival went to the core of Sanis, an empty place still coated in unmoving shadows. The surface blocking their way to Lumire's light. Here they built the complex caves, caverns and pits of Sanis, making it in their own chaotic and wild manner. They use their being to create the Hellfire of the center of the Sanis, from this crawled out creatures polar to the Angels, named Demons. They were the chaos below, unpredictable and truly free without guidance. And lastly was the weakest and smallest of the three. Sarial, who is even accredited as being the planet's namesake. Although both the Angels and Demons had 'souls', they were simply manifestations of their creators ideals and raw desires for the World. With both these balances, no change was ever seen on Sanis. The skies were filled with Angels tending to the clouds, the underworld crawling with Demons doing nothing but roaming and mapping out the caves below. Both sides avoiding each other in fear of being the slightly weaker of the two and have their source of life extinguished. Sarial sought to bring real existence and meaning to the world with their own sacrifice. They became the Shards of Life, splitting and taking place and shape all over Sanis. From each came different types of life each far apart but loosely connected to the ideals of the inner soul and purpose. These forms split and evolved from each other spreading all over the world inhabiting every corner of it. Now that the long pre-history lesson has been parted now you understand the loose dynamic of the world that is the framework to the rest of the series. You are a true child of the Souless, known as Soul Fulcrums. You hold a soul that cannot return to the Hellfire, Lumire or the Shards of Life. You simply exist, never finding peace and solace as every other being does. Whether you find yourself awakening in a new body or in a new place you have become trapped within a plot of powers far above you. However they can only try and manipulate you, your choices are fully your own. To take up the fate that the Souless push you towards or to forge your own path and breaking the cycles forced upon you. Worldlines are almost strictly a gameplay mechanic, they are basically the 'saves' once a choice is made in Fulcrum regardless of the point in the series. It is finalised. To see how else you could've adventured, who you could've met or how you could've changed an event you may split your soul and depart to another Worldline usually starting back in the First Age once again. This basically allows the fucking around from Text-Based during the times of trying to set off events or to forge your own.